#i get progressively more ill about it with every passing year i love you pokemon

[claitea]

forever relevant

[aye-write]

Summary: Research student Isla Reid has been fascinated with the legend of the Kildonian Chessmen - a trio of mythical Pokemon rumoured to have lived centuries ago on the remote region of Kildo - for as long as she can remember. So, when a museum exhibit on the Chessmen is set to open in Kildo’s Hydrogate City, coinciding with her independent research project, she packs herself and her trusty partner Furret onto the long ferry journey bound for this new region.

However, when she arrives in Kildo, thoughts of her research, new friends, and an entire Pokedex’s worth of new Pokemon, are quickly dashed. Kildo is a troubled place, beset by natural disasters and fierce rivalries among its people. Isla suddenly finds herself at the centre of a centuries-old plot to invoke the wrath of the Chessmen, and is set on a race against time to stop them, before it spells destruction for the entire region.

Other Links: Read it on Ao3!

Tags: OC Pokemon journey, OC region, Fakemon region, bisexual main character, found family, ace main character.

If you are not interested in these posts, especially as I know Pokemon journeyfic is fairly niche, please blacklist the tag #Checkmate. Most of the story will be put under a Readmore anyway!

Author’s Note: If you’re interested in more information, exclusive updates, character art, and teasers for this fic, please consider following its sister tumblr @kildo-pokedex! 

This was another chonker chapter at 4.5k that I didn’t anticipate being this long at all! The joys of plantsing, eh? I had hoped to reveal the starters this chapter, but that’s being bumped to next update. In the meantime, please enjoy the reveal of Brootser, and the partial reveals of Weldeon, Ampster and Coastrot!

*****

Chapter Three

Despite everything, night rolled over the Whispering Pine Croft.

After hours battling insomnia, Isla stole downstairs not long after the clock in the hallway chimed midnight. Goosepimples erupted on her skin, the air chilling her to the core. Clicking on the floor lamp, she cast her gaze around the living room. A rickety bookshelf took up most of one wall, covered in dust and trinkets. It didn’t take her long to strike gold.  

The Etymological Dictionary of Old Kildonian, 1981 Edition.

Sitting at the old coffee table, she spread out her books and copies of the Old Kildonian script until there wasn’t an inch of space left. Then she opened the dictionary and started to read. She read, moving between dictionary and text, until her eyes strained in the dim light of the lamp, and the words on the page turned into incomprehensible squiggles. Just keep going, she told herself, as she marked off another decoded word. Just keep going. Just keep going. Just keep—

“Isla?”

Isla slammed the book shut. The noise seemed to echo forever in the quiet of the living room. The intruder snapped on the main light and Isla blinked foolishly as everything illuminated around her. It was Blair at the door, swaddled in an enormous red dressing gown and a pinched look on his face.

“What are you doing down here?” he asked, pulling his dressing gown tighter. “You’ll catch your death of cold.”

“I’m… I’m not doing anything,” Isla said, trying to collect the papers together, position her body over them, anything to hide them from sight.  

“Really? You look like a student trying to panic revise a whole subject the night before an exam,” he chuckled, plopping himself in the seat opposite. “Come on. What’s up?”

Isla sighed. What was the point in lying? “I’m just trying to make some sense of these texts.”

Blair glanced at the clock above the fireplace. “At half two in the morning?”

“I couldn’t sleep. This presentation is doing my head in.” When Blair frowned, she added, “My supervisor asked me to update them with all the “progress” I’ve mad so far. Of course, I haven’t made any yet.”

“So, you’re trying to decode all these old books with…. an out-of-date Kildonian dictionary?”

“I found it in the bookcase. I thought it might help.”

“I’m pretty sure that book is older than me. Please don’t tell me you’re taking it word-by-word.”

“More or less.”

“You’ll be there months trying to sort all that lot.”

“I don’t have any other choice,” Isla’s voice cracked. “Everyone is hounding me. I can’t let this come undone. They’ll pull approval of my project and fail me if I don’t keep jumping through all their hoops.”

“Why is the legend of the Chessmen so important to you?”

Isla hesitated. It was an innocent enough question, but the thought of answering it felt like ripping her chest open and exposing the beating heart underneath. “Well...” she started, cringing at how stupid it all sounded in her head. “When I was little, I was kinda lonely. I didn’t have siblings. Or friends, really,”

Blair made a sympathetic noise.

“No, it’s okay. I wasn’t that bothered by it,” Isla lied. “But because I didn’t have many friends, I naturally leant towards books instead. And I loved fiction, like adventure stories and that, but I felt so much more connected to things that were actually real.”

Blair nodded. “Understandable.”

“Anyway, one Christmas, I got this book. I think it was called Myths and Legends of the Pokemon World and it had all the origin stories of all the legendary Pokemon from like… every region in the world. God, I ate up every single story - how Arceus created the world, the theory that all Pokemon came from Mew in some way, how Groudon and Kyogre created the land and sea. I was absolutely hooked. Then, right at the end, there were a couple of small articles devoted to a place called Kildo.”

“Typical,” Blair muttered. “Always playing second fiddle to the big guns.”

“The book explained a little bit about the legend of the Chessmen. I was just… amazed at how these Pokemon brought humans these gifts of technology and arts and whatnot and how advanced the region was for its time. And then when I read what happened next, well… I just wanted to know why. Why did the Chessmen take away what they gave the humans?  What happened to them after they became dormant? I was obsessed. When I was younger, I had this stupid dream that I would like… Oh, it sounds so cheesy now, but… like solve the mystery of what happened all those years ago.”

“It’s not cheesy, Isla. Dreams are never cheesy.”

Isla bit the inside of her cheek. “I know that. It’s just… well, this legend has been everything to me for years. I’m not bigheaded enough now to think someone like me could ever solve it. But I’d love to find something. Even if it’s just standing in the same place these Pokemon stood once, all those years ago. But now it feels like it’s slipping away from me. I won’t be able to do anything unless I get these texts translated.”

“They’re well-known texts, right? Haven’t they already been translated?”

“The only translations that exist are locked behind online paywalls,” Isla sighed. “Not exactly within my budget. The originals were family owned. I suppose you can’t blame them for wanting them kept safe.”

“Could the university not pay for you to access them?”

“Not my department. They already think the project isn’t worth the time. They’re usually into social changes, modern day life, that sort of thing. Mythology doesn’t get a look in. Even though I changed my project a bit – focusing more on how the mythology influences modern life, with the Chessmen more of like a case study – the department still don’t want much to do with it.”

“Well, that’s their loss. Your project sounds fascinating just from what I’ve seen of it.”

“This little bit you’ve seen might end up being all it ever amounts to. With Nana Morag in the hospital, my options for translations are limited, and these old texts are all I have to help me piece together where the Chessmen might be.”

Silence unfurled around them. Isla stared down at her lap, her legs shaking and her mouth dry. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d ever talked so much about herself and she found that she couldn’t quite bring herself to look Blair in the eye.

“I think I might know someone.”

Isla pricked her head up. “Really?” she said, hope throbbing in her chest.

“I have a friend who lives in Inverbrook. It’s not a huge city, but they do have a subsect of Tideburgh University there. He’s doing a Masters in Language and mentioned being involved with an elective on Old Kildonian. I can contact him for you. He might be able to help.”

Something surged through Isla like she’d just taken a shot of adrenaline. “Oh, Blair, thank you! That’s amazing!”

“No guarantees, of course!” he said, spreading his hands hastily. “He might not know enough of it to be a proper help. But he may be able to put you in touch with some other folks who can help, if that makes sense.”

“It does. A lot of sense. Thank you again.” Isla paused. “Where is Inverbrook?”

“Pretty much directly south of here. About forty odd miles or so. Following routes 29 through 26 pretty much leads you right there. Public transport is crap, though, so you’re better walking most of it. Shouldn’t take much more than a couple of days if you’re…”

He paused. Isla knew what he wanted to say. If you’re fit. Women like her weren’t supposed to be fit. And even though the thought of days of walking filled her with equal parts apprehension and dread, she forced a look of determination onto her face.

“Don’t worry,” she said. “I can handle it.”

**

Isla shared the news that she would be leaving in the morning as they sat down at the kitchen table. Kenneth and Skye stayed quiet, barely reacting to the news, but Rhona’s face crumpled.

“Oh, chick, are you sure?”

“I think it’s probably for the best,” Isla said. “I don’t want to be a burden, especially with you guys having your hands full with the croft and Nana Morag being ill. Having a guest is too much on top of everything. I really do appreciate everything you’ve all done, but I think it’s best that I head towards Inverbrook and start my research properly.”

A strange expression passed over Rhona’s face, one that Isla couldn’t make sense of. For several terrifying moments, she thought she’d offended her.

“You wouldn’t be a burden on us, Isla,” Rhona eventually said, her eyes brimming. “We’d happily have you here for as long as you want. It’s been lovely having you.”

Isla felt something in her heart buckle.

“We do understand that your studies have to come first. But… you said you wanted to go to Inverbrook?”

“Yes. Blair is going to put me in touch with a friend of his there that might be able to help me with some translations.”

“It might not be as easy as you think, chick. I’ve just been watching the local news. There was flooding down south. The river that goes through Route 27, which connects Port Glen to Inverbrook, burst its banks. The whole route is submerged. No-one can go through. It’s completely impassable.”

**

You wouldn’t have said the entire of Port Glen had only just recently been battered by a storm, Isla thought, as she set off down towards the harbour after a filling breakfast. The morning sky pinkened gently, like a mother’s embrace, and golden threads of sun drifted through soft, watercolour clouds. A cool wind kept the worst of the heat at bay as she walked. All in all, it was a fairly pleasant experience. Well, as pleasant an experience as walking would ever be.

It was Rhona that had suggested trying the ferry. She couldn’t be sure what passenger routes they ran from Port Glen, or if they only did international and goods shipments, but it was a better option than waiting the potential weeks for the Inverbrook route to be cleared or taking the (extremely) long way around the whole region.

Breathing heavily and sweating despite the brisk ocean breeze, Isla stopped to catch her breath as she arrived at the harbour. She cast her gaze around hopefully. It was quiet. Too quiet. Not a good sign in the least.  Aside from the occasional sailor pacing the docks, and the sharp, cutting cry of seabirds, the place was still and silent.

The thought of asking someone to help sent panic crashing through her like waves in a storm, but there was no other choice. The best option rested with a nearby sailor, busily looping ropes and picking apart complicated knots. A Pokemon stood at his side. Squat, muscular, with short brown fur, flecked with white, and cut into a stout triangle pattern, it was another one that Isla didn’t recognise. Every now and again, the sailor tossed it a particularly difficult-looking knot of rope, which the Pokemon expertly shredded with sharp, curved claws.

“Brootser, the Pelting Pokemon. The evolved form of Brogue. With incredibly sharp claws and powerful jaws, Brootser are highly aggressive and territorial. Even against much stronger foes, it won’t back down easily,” her Pokedex chirruped.

Isla’s hand tightened around Soba’s Pokeball as she read more details. A Fighting type. A second evolution. Being a Furret, Soba wouldn’t stand much chance in a fair fight, much less an unfair one. While she did generally feel more comfortable approaching a fellow Pokemon owner, she probably could have stood to pick one with a less terrifying partner.

All the same, she approached the sailor, keeping herself primed like a coiled spring. “Excuse me? I was wondering if you could help me with something?”

The sailor had a strong, lined face, but he didn’t seem anywhere near as intimidating when he relaxed into a smile. “Sure,” he boomed. “What can I do for you?”

“Are there going to be any sailings from this port in the next few days? Anywhere that lands near Inverbrook?”

The Brootser, distracted from its work with the knots, pressed its wet nose against Isla’s hand. Isla let out an involuntary squeak.

“Brootser, stop that!” the sailor said firmly. “Sorry, miss. He’s obsessed with leather. Have you got leather in your handbag or anything? Your shoes? I swear, he can sniff it out within a mile. I have to keep him distracted at work otherwise he’d never leave people alone. Here, Brootser, go and do this for me.”

The sailor tossed a section of rope a few feet down the docks. The Brootser growled, a deep throaty rumble, before dropping to all fours and pursuing. Within moments, the rope was ripped to little more than fibres.

Isla searched for something to say. She eventually settled on, “He’s cute.”

“He’s a menace is what he is,” the sailor said, wiping his brow. “Anyway, you were asking about the ferries? Unfortunately, the passenger ferry was badly damaged in that storm two nights ago and won’t be running any routes for a while.”

“How long is a while?” Isla asked nervously.

“We’re waiting for some metal workers to come down from Hydrogate. They’re delayed because their Weldeon team were exhausted after a big job in the ironworks. Currently we’re looking at about a week.”

“A week?”

“I’m afraid so. If you go to reception and leave your details, they’ll be able to contact you as soon as we know when the sailings will be going ahead.”

“Aren’t there any other options?”

The sailor considered. “Not here. But if you’re set on sailing and you could get to Dewbrae Town, I think they’re still running sailings.”

“Where’s Dewbrae Town? Is it close?”

“It’s up past Aberdrip City, which is an hour’s drive north of here. Then you have to pass through Aberdrip Forest and that brings you out just at Dewbrae. Maybe a couple of days walking if you keep a steady pace,” he paused, and Isla felt his eyes rake her body. “Maybe a couple more. But, if you’re in a hurry, it’s better than waiting around here. Everything’s very up in the air at the moment.”

Isla thanked the sailor, trying to ignore the heavy feeling that came over her. Why was this so difficult? She’d encountered disaster at every turn so far and, in her darkest moments, she couldn’t deny wondering if it was even worth it to keep going. Nana Morag ill, no passage to Inverbrook through Route 27, no ferry from the Port Glen docks, now she had to go all the way to Dewbrae – wherever that was – on nothing more than a possibility?

But what could she do? What other options did she have?

Rhona would know what to do, Isla decided. She had a way of sorting things out, an uncanny level-headedness her own mother didn’t have. That’s what she’d do. She’d head back to the croft and take stock of the situation. She started walking, thoughts whirling through her head like the flapping of birds’ wings. Maybe there was another way to Inverbrook. They knew the region better than she ever would. Maybe they could—

“WIIIIING!”

Isla gasped and swore as her foot trod on something soft. With a gust of cold air, the offending thing burst upwards and pain erupted at the top of her head. Sharp, pointed talons dug into her scalp and she yelped in pain.

“Gull! Gull!” her assailant screeched; each squawk accompanied by a swift peck to the head.

Isla’s hands closed around her attacker’s soft wriggling body. With all her might, she tore it from her head and tossed it as far as she could manage. But the Pokemon swooped back into the air, seemingly unharmed, fixing Isla with a glare that sent a tremble down her spine.

“Gull! Wingull!” it shrieked.

Recognition dropped into Isla’s belly like a stone. It was a Kildonian Wingull. The same Kildonian Wingull that had attacked Rhona the day Isla got off the ferry. At least, it certainly looked like the same one – she could hardly call herself an expert on them – but it was roughly the same size and had the same high-pitched squawk. And didn’t the Pokedex say that Kildonian Wingull only attacked people who had food? Isla didn’t have a single crumb on her. So what other motive could it possibly have for attacking her?

Isla reached for the Pokeball at her waist, panicked fingers scrabbling for the catch. But the Wingull screeched again, diving into a tackle.  The impact came low in her stomach, knocking the air from her lungs and leaving her doubled over. The second blow sent her off-balance and stumbling, eventually crashing to the ground where the pain came in sharp spikes. With a fury of feathers, the Pokemon ripped Isla’s bag away from her.

“Hey!” She wheezed. “There’s nothing in there for you!”

Her protests were rewarded with a face full of frigid water.

By the time Isla had sluiced the water from her face, the Wingull had unhooked the bag’s clasp and was digging around in her things. Hairbrush and deodorant were both ignored, the coin purse in the shape of a Quagsire got an inquisitive gnaw but ultimately left in favour of a pen, which lasted a whole thirty seconds until it splintered and was promptly spat back out.

Every inhale felt like she was being stabbed underneath the ribs, but she still forced herself to move. “Leave my things alone! There’s no food in there!”

Wingull had wriggled itself right into the bottom of the bag and had pulled out an old emergency kit that Isla had nearly forgotten about. Most of the items had already been used or dumped over the years she’d had it, leaving only a couple of travel sized Potions, a Repel Kit, and a Poke Doll, wrapped up in a worn-out bag. The Wingull squawked indignantly and decapitated the doll in one fell swoop. Then it turned back on the travel bag, scraping around and tearing at it with its beak.  

Something dropped out. Isla’s heart plummeted to somewhere near her feet.

It was a Pokeball. An old Pokeball scratched and grimy with age. A Pokeball that Isla had all but forgotten about ever since she made the decision to train just Soba all those years ago. A Pokeball that was now right in the Kildonian Wingull’s line of sight.

She saw it happening before it actually did. The hungry Wingull viewed the Pokeball as nothing more than a shiny, tasty snack. It darted forward, opened its beak wide, and engulfed the old capsule. Isla prayed that the ten year old ball would turn out to be too old to work anymore, and the worst thing to happen would be the Wingull hacking it back up again. But the Pokeball made a shrill shiiing noise as it made contact with Wingull’s beak, and the Pokemon disappeared in a flash of blue light.

The Pokeball shook. Once. Twice. Three times. Then it was still.

And Isla had caught a Kildonian Wingull.

**

Isla told the story of her accidental Wingull capture to an appreciative audience when she got back from the docks. And then again over sandwiches at lunchtime. While Soba curled up in the corner next to the radiator, oblivious to this new teammate, Isla released Wingull for the nerve-wracking job of introductions and feeding time. Rhona’s eyebrows rose so high that they practically disappeared into her hairline, but she didn’t protest.

“I can’t believe it’s the same one,” Rhona said, eyeing her half-eaten sandwich she was planning on saving for later. “Most try their luck once and then move on.”

“I think it’s young,” Blair said, lifting its wing to get a better look. “Perhaps separated from its mum too early. Maybe it doesn’t know any better.”

“I didn’t mean to catch it,” Isla sighed. “I’d forgotten all about that old Pokeball. We were always told to carry an extra one or two, even if we never intended to catch Pokemon, like for emergencies and that.”

“It must have been starving if it thought a Pokeball was food. Or maybe just exceptionally stupid.”

“Jury’s out on that one,” Isla said, as the Wingull pecked at a Tauros shaped pepper shaker.

“Kildonian Wingull are incredibly food oriented,” Blair lifted his plate to avoid the Pokemon’s frantically flapping wings. “Most of the bird Pokemon around here are.”

“Why is that?”

“Competition. Because there’s so many, they all compete for the same natural resources. That’s part of why people think Wingull adapted for Kildo the way they did. They couldn’t compete for most of the natural food, so they evolved to take food from humans instead. Problem is, they end up thinking all food is fair game. Hey, watch it! No! That’s mine!”

Isla suppressed a chuckle as Wingull lunged for the crusts on Blair’s sandwiches. In the kerfuffle of squawking and feathers, Isla looked over at Skye, who hadn’t said a word through the entire of lunch. Her face was screwed up.

“Skye? Are you alright?” Isla asked.

Skye made an odd strangling noise, pushed herself back from the chair, and ran for the stairs, each one thudding under her feet. A moment later, a door slammed.

“Did I say something wrong?” Isla said, horrified.

“No, not at all,” Rhona said, rescuing a glass of juice that had been upended when Skye left the table. “She’s just a bit upset. We were supposed to be going up to meet Professor Spruce tomorrow to get her trainer’s license and first Pokemon. But because Nana Morag is in hospital, I have to be here in case something comes up on short notice, and I just can’t spare the time to take Skye up to Aberdrip City. She’ll only be delayed for a few days, but the poor lass was so looking forward to it. Especially when she’s had to wait so much longer than everyone else.”

“Why’s that?”

It was only after she asked the question that she considered it might have been rude. Or none of her business. Too late to save herself now, though. Rhona’s face tightened, her mouth puckering like she was sucking on a sour lemon.

“Sorry,” Isla looked down at the table. “I shouldn’t be nosy.”

The kitchen fell quiet. Rhona let out a deep, juddering exhale and sat back down, folding her hands into her lap, the kitchen suddenly feeling about ten degrees colder. Isla took a sip of water, her mouth and throat turning to chalk.

“Skye had childhood cancer.” The words didn’t even get a chance to settle before they were tumbling out again, like Rhona was trying to get them all out at once. Like they couldn’t hurt her as much that way. “She spent most of her childhood in hospital with leukaemia.”

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.” Once again Isla found herself cursing both her mother and herself for not bothering to find any of this information out beforehand.

Rhona shook her head. “It’s alright, chick. We don’t talk about it much. Besides, she’s been in remission for a year now. But she’s missed out on so much school and she gets tired so easily.”

There was nothing Isla could say that would be enough. She had to settle for, “I’m sorry to hear that…” and hope Rhona could somehow understand just how much she meant it.

“There was a time when she was being treated that she became very low and very depressed. It was frightening. I’ve never been so worried in all my life. We were scared she was just… giving up. Then, one day, they had some Pokemon trainers visit the hospital. A lot of children there would never be able to go out training. Some wouldn’t even… you know, live to see their next birthday.”

Rhona’s voice wavered. Blair put his hand over hers and squeezed. “Easy, Mum. Don’t go upsetting yourself now.”

“One of the trainers was assigned to Skye,” Rhona continued. “But she was so quiet and so withdrawn that we didn’t think the trainer could get through to her. The trainer had this Pokemon with her – Ampster, I think it was – and it was like a light turned on behind Skye’s eyes when she saw it. I saw glimpses of my daughter again. This trainer stayed with her for hours. Just talking. She’s wanted to be a Pokemon trainer ever since. And I hate that so many things keep getting in her way.”

Rhona sunk her head into her hands. Her shoulders quivered.

Isla felt terrible. No wonder Skye had been quiet during the whole of lunch. How stupid had she been? Skye was being kept from her dream of being a Pokemon trainer and she’d waltzed into their kitchen showing off a Pokemon she hadn’t even meant to catch? It made Isla’s toes curl just thinking about it.

“Could Skye not make the journey on her own?” she asked.

“No,” Rhona lifted her head again, looking pale even at the thought. “She’s not fit enough. We were going to rent a car and drive her, but…”

“Could I take her?”

The offer slipped past Isla’s lips before she knew what she was doing. Rhona looked at her in mild shock, her mouth slowly gaping open.

“I mean, I’ll be passing through Aberdrip anyway!” Isla continued. “One of the sailors said I could get the ferry from Dewbrae Town which is just past Aberdrip, right?. I could take her along with me.”

“Gosh, that’s very kind of you, chick. And I’m sure Skye would love it,” Rhona said, nervously glancing at the stairs. “But I’m not comfortable with her making the trip back on her own. Or even just the amount of walking she’d have to do.”

“I could go with them,” Blair said.

Rhona looked at her son like she’d only just remembered he existed. “What’s that, honey?”

“I could go with them,” he repeated. “We could put Skye on Coastrot. That’s my partner Pokemon,” he added for Isla’s benefit. “He’s strong enough to carry her and we can keep her nicely bundled up. Then once Isla heads off to Dewbrae, I can take Skye back.”

“I don’t know,” Rhona said. “We need you here too.”

“Mum, it’s a day. Maybe two, tops, if we let Skye rest overnight. You and Dad can manage that long, right? You could ask a couple of the lads from the market to pitch in if you really need to. I’m sure they’d work for a hot pie and some cash in hand. And you don’t need to worry about us. We won’t do anything silly. We’ll just get Skye her Pokemon, check in for the night, see Isla off to Dewbrae the next morning and head back ourselves. Easy-peasy!”

Rhona still didn’t look convinced. “It’s such a long way, though. She’s not been away overnight in such a long time.”

“It’s a few hours of travelling, Mum. You said it yourself, Skye’s already missed out on so much. It might not feel like much for us, but for Skye, it’s her whole life. One delay after the other. And with everything the way it is right now, what if there’s just more delays? More reasons not to take her? You have to let her.”

Rhona went very quiet, her face pale.

“I’ll look after her, Mum,” Blair said. “She needs this.”

“I know you will. And I know she does,” Rhona heaved a sigh. “She’s not my little baby anymore. She’s growing up.”

“I’d like to go.”

Everyone jumped at the voice that came in from the doorway. Rhona wiped her eyes. “Oh, Skye, honey, sorry. I didn’t hear you come down. Are you okay?”

“I think I can do it,” Skye ignored her mother’s question. Her voice was louder this time, but still hesitant, like she was testing out its limits. “I want to go get my Pokemon and I’d like Blair and Coastrot to take me. And Isla,” she added, and Isla felt a smile curve onto her face. “If that’s okay with you?”

Silence widened like a chasm between mother and daughter and for one horrible moment, Isla half-expected Rhona to turn away, to start shouting, to deny her flat out. But then tears spilled out of Rhona’s eyes and her whole face softened.

“Yes, honey,” Rhona said, her voice little more than a whisper. “Yes, that’ll be okay with me.”

As they hugged, Isla felt a stray tear prick at the corner of her eye. The emotion surprised her. Yes, it was touching to see a mother and daughter hug and reconcile, but something told her it went deeper. As she looked out at the dying sky, strewn with deepening orange and slicks of black, something unsettled itself in her heart.

Tomorrow she would be leaving Port Glen. Tomorrow she would leave behind a family unit where she felt accepted. Tomorrow she would start her journey to Inverbrook.

She didn’t know which one felt scarier.

[medea10]

My Review of Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku

[just-adashi-thots]

[pokemon au]:

adam and shiro both come from the hoenn region

shiro grew up in mossdeep city where his parents both worked at the mossdeep space center (his mother was an astronaut, and his father was an aerospace engineer)

he idolized his mother and the other astronauts, never missing liftoff and watching in awe as the shuttles shot up into the air towards the sky and the stars he loves so much

he also liked to spend time near the local gym and see trainers with all kinds of fascinating pokemon gearing up to challenge gym leader kogane

adam was raised by his mother, a speleologist, in fallarbor town near meteor falls where she conducted the bulk of her research

on days where she wasn't going very deep into the cave or around more dangerous areas, adam's mother would bring her son along to the cave to keep an eye on him, spend time together, and make progress on her research

the kind farmers in fallarbor saw how hard adam's mother worked taking care of her son as a single parent while also furthering her career, so they took turns babysitting adam to help her whenever she was overworked or unable to take adam with her

adam also spent a fair amount of time at his grandparents' house in lavaridge, enjoying the hot springs and trying to catch glimpses of trainer battles at the local gym

due to their birthdays being so close to one another, the two end up meeting at professor holt's laboratory in littleroot shortly after they turn ten

they're both hot headed and think they have what it takes to become the new hoenn champion (the current one being iverson), so they immediately see themselves as rivals

they cross paths every now and then on their journey, facing off in battles and showing off their new pokemon and badges (and even sharing stories about their adventures and talking about their hometowns after they've kicked the snot out of each other and finally decided to take a break and just chat)

they put their rivalry aside and team up on multiple occasions to defeat team galra grunts and executives who have been harassing civilians and taking control of entire towns in the name of their leader, zarkon

(they also find out that they have great chemistry as double battle partners, and their pokemon are eager to work together when battling)

by the time they've earned all eight gym badges, shiro and adam have become friends (but continue to be rivals), and they promise to have their next battle once they've both defeated the elite four and the champion

after training rigorously in victory road, adam takes the elite four challenge and beats iverson before finding none other than his rival waiting for him in the next room as the brand new champion

as promised, they battle without holding anything back, showcasing all of their hard work and the strong bonds they've established with their pokemon

they're so evenly matched that their final pokemon faint at the same time, leading to a draw

both trainers are exhausted, but the huge smiles on their faces show just how much fun they had

shiro remains the official champion of the hoenn region, but he and many others recognize and respect adam as a champion as well

(adam ends up standing in for shiro as champion whenever the latter isn't able to accept challenges himself)

with the hoenn league challenge officially completed, the two friends talk about what their next plans are

they're still pretty young, so they have time to explore and such before getting serious about their future careers

and honestly ? they don't really want this adventure they've shared together to end just yet

they decide to go on a backpacking trip across the nearby regions (i.e., kanto, johto, and sinnoh) together

they make new friends, meet new pokemon, battle tough trainers, visit neat places like the pewter city museum and mt. moon, gaze at the stars on clear nights and just talk while sitting really close so that their shoulders are almost touching and if they shift their hand just right their fingers would brush the other's hand

they find it even harder to go their separate ways at the end of this adventure, but they have dreams that need chasing, and they know they've found a friend for life who won't be that far away

shiro returns to mossdeep and dives head first into studying and training to become an astronaut just like his mother, and adam returns to fallarbor (and meteor falls) to learn more about meteroites from his mother and the other local scientists in the hopes of making a career out of studying them one day

they keep in touch while they're apart, sending each other photos and updates of their daily lives (and typing up messages like "i miss you" and "i wish you were here" but hastily deleting them before hitting send)

whenever one of them has a short break, they'll even fly over for a visit, and everyone around them can see how much more upbeat and happy these two become when reunited

adam's there for shiro in a heartbeat when the latter's parents pass away from illness, and shiro drops everything to be by adam's side at the hospital after adam gets seriously injured while doing some field work at meteor falls

for years they continue this way until adam surprises shiro one day by telling him that he's officially moving to mossdeep to work at the space center with a group of other scientists

shiro nearly crushes him in a massive hug, and their faces hurt from smiling so much the entire day

living so close to one another, their relationship gets even closer, and it's not long before they finally start dating (adam blurted out, "will you go out with me ?" while they were watching a meteor shower, and shiro was caught so off guard that he accidentally squawked "no !!!!" before his brain caught up and he corrected himself)

to be continued ?

these are their teams !!! (will expand on them in another post)

[saffronic]

wooo boy, is it one of those days again? probably. do i want to talk about it? sure, why not. to no one in specific, just to myself and to get this out of my chest, really. no need to read this, it’s mostly a vent i will probably get rid of later.

i walked a long way in making myself feel better, and i know that there will be days i will fall back. but that’s okay, because my strides forward are much wider than the small trips i take on my way. am i where i want to be in my life? fuck no. i will get there though, without realizing it. what is it that i want in life? i have no idea actually.

i used to think that i wanted to be an artist, or a graphic designer, or an animator. but slowly, as depression took over, anxiety made me realize how behind i am when it comes to artistic creativity and progress, i just.. i don’t know. i never felt like i was where i wanted to be. here’s the bad part: last year i was happy with my progress. this year, i am not. i feel like i’ve hardly drawn any at all, and where my progress idled for the longest time. why? why’s this a thing all of a sudden?

ill answer those questions after i’ve answered where i want to be in life. summary: i don’t know. i want to be happy, that’s all. big job, small job, normal life, abnormal, as an artist, or as a secretary, i don’t give a hoot right now. i just want to feel like im moving forward. and i don’t feel that. i wanted to be, at one point, a kid’s book illustrator, but not even that comes to my mind anymore. i even settled to have art as some sort of hobby that could be a bit lucrative...

but right now it’s becoming a chore to just pick up a pencil and sketch, just to try and see my progress and hope whatever i put out is worth a damn. i am very unsatisfied, i am tired, i dislike my art, i dislike my style and i hardly have any inspiration. i know people say fight through the art block, fight through the whole lack of ideas, but i have so many files and pen sketches that i don’t like looking at.

i sketched porn, i sketched faces, i sketched dumb to cute stuff, nothing really that makes me feel the groove again. maybe i lack a fandom or something i’m really into? not entirely, i am very into pokemon (games, go and cards) but i guess i lack a few pushes to really get into it. and boy, i tried original characters too, and that went down the drain fast.

am i writing any? no. well, yes, but it’s mostly rp’s with kimmi and i am very thankful she puts up with my dumb butt when we tackle pokemon go stuff. i love the stories we tackle, and i want to elaborate on them more every time. i do want to draw about them too, but again, art eludes me.

art eludes me for a lot of things right now. and i get a bit jealous when i see other artists succeed and visibly improve when i can’t see that with my own things. hhhhhh, but i know im not the only artist that feels this, and i know it’s something okay to admit and take control over by admitting it because that’s a normal feeling. so yes, i do feel slightly jealous when i find someone else’s art so much better and gorgeous and note their progress--because i can’t see mine. i can’t feel it.

in short, i want to draw, and i miss the ways i was inspired when i was in college. the programs helped, having someone shove me and tell me ‘you have to spit shit out of your brain for a grade’ sort of helped me progress. and i was good. i miss that so much. and sometimes i wished i had someone to do that now with me, but i know i can’t expect that from anyone but myself and i am not one bit consistent with myself right now because i am lost my one routine, which was my job. and that in itself helped me with my mental scheduling. hell, it was probably the most accomplished i’ve felt in a long time. i was at least able to draw things during work when there was nothing else to do. all of those lapis and peridots...

i know this too will pass. i know i’ll kick my ass into gear. but i feel like i need to cry about this sometimes because it is hard being optimistic every day. yep, i’m upset at myself.

let me have this moment to cry. what’s wrong with that.

[red-lion-of-voltron]

meme thing! All of them! Cause I'm evil and you brought it up XD

Dude, I am so ready xDD

flower crown: when did you last sing to yourself?

If humming is counted, it was today in the car on the way to work. Actual singing was last weekend.

fairy lights: if a crystal ball could tell you the truth about anything, what would you want to know?

I’d want to know long I’d live. Most people find this scary but I honestly don’t.

daisies: what is the greatest accomplishment of your life?

Battling my mental illness.

1975: what is the first happy memory that comes to mind, recent or otherwise?

Watching the first Pokemon movie.

matte: if you knew that in one year you would die suddenly, would you change anything about the way you are now living?

No. I’m already anticipating death, whenever it’ll happen. 

black nail polish: do you have a bucket list? if so, what are the top three things?

Become a therapist/counsellor, go on holiday to Tokyo, ride a jet ski.

pantone: describe a person close to your life in detail.

My sister, @suddenlysombra. She’s my salt buddy, is doing a course in Games Design, an animal and nature lover, and totally rocks~

moodboard: do you feel you had a happy childhood?

No, it was quite a sad one.

stars: when did you last cry in front of another person?

I think it was my sister, during the Christmas season because of frustration + dissatisfaction.

plants: pick a person to stargaze with you and explain why you picked them.

The person who sent me this ask~! Because they’re a wonderful friend.

converse: would you ever have a deep conversation with a stranger and open up to them?

Depends on how our conversation starts off and progresses.

lace: when was your last 3am conversation with someone, and who were they to you?

My sister, a few months back. We salt a lot together about stuff.

handwriting: if you were about to die, and you could only say one more sentence to one person, what would you say and to whom?

I’m finding a way around this - I’d tell my sister that I’m leaving this world, hope to see her soon and to post on here and FB about my death so that other people also can be reached.

cactus: what is your opinion on brown eyes?

They’re meh. 

sunrise: pick a quote and describe what it means to you personally.

“If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world.”― C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

This quote gives me hope because it speaks to my dissatisfaction with just how imperfect this world is. All the sadness and hatred and bad stuff is not meant to be this way, and I believe in the life after this one where things would actually go perfectly, i.e. Heaven/eternal life. I cannot express how much I cannot wait to go there, and really hope I will. 

oil paints: what would you title the autobiography of your life so far?

“The Rain Doesn’t End, Till The Mist Takes Me Away” 

overalls: what would you do with one billion dollars?

Give most of it away. 

combat boots: are you a very forgiving person? do you like being this way?

I find it difficult to be forgiving. I remember how people treat me and if it’s bad treatment, I replay scenes in my head a fair bit. I don’t quite like being this way but it’s just so hard to not hold any bad actions against the people behind them.

winged eyeliner: write a hundred word letter to your twelve year old self.

“Hey you. I’m Future You. Justwriting to say I’m so sorry pretty much everyone leaves. School sucks likenothing else, doesn’t it? I know you have no one you can consider a friend andnot just an acquaintance or peer, but you have plenty of friends in thefictional realm. All the Pokemon you are obsessed with are your friends. So isevery Disney character you’ve watched on a screen, and for that matter everysingle fictional character is your friend. You carry a piece of them insideyou. I’m your friend. And all of us are great company.” 

pastel: would you describe yourself as more punk or pastel?

Punk because I dislike coming across as “soft”

tattoos: how do you feel about tattoos and piercings? explain.

I’m indifferent towards both, but am perfectly fine with anyone who has them. 

piercings: do you wear a lot of makeup? why/why not?

Not a lot, because I feel it isn’t worth the time and effort.

bands: talk about a song/band/lyric that has affected your life in some way.

Red is a band that has helped me so much in processing my anger - their sound is raw and powerful yet beautiful, almost like a beauty out of chaos kind of thing. Lots of meaningful lyrics too.

messy bun: the world is listening. pick one sentence you would tell them.

“How many of you want to work 4 days a week, and have a 3-day weekend, instead of how it’s been for too long?”

cry baby: list the concerts you have been to and talk about how they make you feel.

To be honest there’s no concert I’ve been to that I enjoyed - it’s more that I was dragged along or was bored so I went for it. I don’t like the crowding and the noise levels and am happy just listening to the songs on my own. 

grunge: who in the world would you most like to receive a letter from and what would you want it to say?

Lmao, that would be Sebastian Stan, and I’d love him to say he’d love to meet in person sometime for a meal despite his crazy schedule, because he wants to get to know me better.

space: do you have a desk/workspace and how is it organised/not organised?

Yup. It’s not ridiculously organised but isn’t a tangled mess either.

white bed sheets: what is your night time routine?

I work on passion projects or watch a film/episode. There’s the occasional dinner outing or cinema trip. 

old books: what’s one thing you don’t want your parents to know?

They shall not get any grandkids from me. I don’t want to give them the satisfaction.

beaches: if you had to dye your hair how would you dye/style it and why?

Just some purple highlights, because it isn’t too drastic a change and would still look amazing.

eyes: pick five people to go on an excursion with you. who would you pick and where would you go/what would you do?

My siblings, @fragranceofroses, @vilcade and @ladyginoza xD I’d choose an amazing island spot in Thailand with sun and beaches, where we’d talk about memes and fandom and enjoy good food and each other’s company~!

11:11: name three wishes and why you wish for them.

1. More money so I can help more people without worrying about my own savings too much. 2. For Pokemon to be real, because the world would be far less boring and also happier. 3. For the sequels and additional seasons of my fave shows to exist (I’m eyeing you, Psycho Pass Season 3!!)

painting: what is the best halloween costume you have ever put together? if none, make one up.

(Making one up) Going as Greedling from FMA. With one arm partially covered in his ultimate shield. 

lightning: what’s the worst thing you’ve ever done while drunk or high?

Never been drunk or high before.

thunder: what’s one thing you would never do for one million dollars?

Kill someone lol.

storms: you can only listen to one song for the rest of your life, or only see one person for the rest of your life. which and why?

Whoa. I’d pick a song and at this point it’d be “Gojintai e Futatabi” from the Kimi No Na Wa soundtrack. 

love: have you ever fallen in love? describe what it feels like to realise you’re in love.

I’ve only had crushes and have not been in a relationship. I’m not sure this qualifies…? As for having a crush, it’s thrilling and exciting.

clouds: if you’re a boy, would you ever rock black nail polish? if you’re a girl, would you ever rock really really short hair?

I don’t think I’d rock short hair, so am aiming to keep it long forever. 

coffee: what’s your starbucks order, and who would you trust to order for you, if anyone?

Dark mocha frappucino. I’d trust most people to order it for me.

marble: what is the most important thing to you in your life right now?

That I’m not around my mum for most of each day because of my new job. Thank heavens.